¡¡¡¡SHANGHAI, June 16 (Xinhua) -- Chinese and Pakistani presidents agreed on
Friday the two countries will strengthen strategic partnership by enhancing
mutual trust, expanding exchanges and intensifying reciprocal cooperation.
¡¡¡¡High-level visits and frequent contacts between their leaders on bilateral
and multilateral occasions will help enhance political trust and promote
cooperation in diverse fields, said Chinese President Hu Jintao during a meeting
with his Pakistani counterpart Pervez Musharraf in Shanghai.
¡¡¡¡Hu proposed China and Pakistan speed up their joint study on a five-year
plan for economic and trade cooperation and reach a Sino-Pakistani free trade
deal at an early date.
¡¡¡¡It is also necessary to speed up reconstruction of Pakistan's quake-hit
areas and reach timely agreements on the renovation of the Karakoram Highway and
a number of projects with aid from China,including the building of schools,
hospitals and an earthquake monitoring network in Pakistan's quake-ravaged
areas, said Hu.
¡¡¡¡He also proposed closer cooperation in the security sector -- both
traditional and untraditional-- and implementation of existing documents signed
between the two sides.
¡¡¡¡Echoing Hu's proposals on closer ties, Musharraf said more exchanges and
cooperation in political, trade and economic sectors between his country and
China have brought tangible benefits to the two countries and their peoples.
¡¡¡¡Musharraf said Pakistan is willing to make concerted efforts with China to
add new vitality to bilateral relations and continually push forward their
strategic partnership.
¡¡¡¡This year marks the 55th anniversary of China-Pakistan diplomatic
relations. "We are good neighbors, good friends and good partners," Hu said,
adding that their friendship is all-weather and cooperation all-round.
¡¡¡¡Musharraf said the Pakistani-Chinese friendship has withstood the tests of
time and his country is confident in the bilateral relations with China.
¡¡¡¡Musharraf is in Shanghai to attend Thursday's annual summit meeting of the
Shanghai Cooperation Organization, in which Pakistan holds observer status.
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